Special Education Minor
The Special Education (SPED) undergraduate minor is designed to provide students with foundational knowledge and experiences for careers in teaching general or special education, working with individuals with disabilities in transition, employment, or community settings, or who are interested in issues concerning people with disabilities. This minor is open to students from all majors.
The SPED minor coursework is grounded in research and practical applied work, preparing students to work collaboratively to promote the success of all individuals and their families through evidence-based practices in inclusive settings. The minor consists of a core of required coursework and electives. Some of these credits can be applied toward meeting the requirements for an Oregon Special Educator Teaching License.
Special Education Minor Requirements
Electives provide students with a breadth of interdisciplinary options. Students may plan a course of study that introduces them to the field of special education and prepares them to begin a licensure program, focusing on classroom settings and specific instructional skills and strategies for teaching students with disabilities. Other major course work such as English, comparative literature, law, journalism, architecture, arts administration, business, or planning, public policy and management may be augmented by completing minor course work focused on broad issues concerning people with disabilities. The option provides an enhanced understanding of perspectives on disability and issues in each student's chosen profession.
Courses used to fulfill the minor requirements must be taken for a letter grade of C- or better or a mark of Pass (P or P*), unless otherwise stated.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| SPED 411 | Foundations of Disability I 1 | 3 |
| SPED 420 | Applied Experience in Special Education | 3 |
| SPED 407 | Seminar: [Topic] | 1 |
| Electives 2 | 17 | |
| Seminar: [Topic] | ||
| Experimental Course: [Topic] | ||
| Diversity and Special Education | ||
| Special Education Law | ||
| Special Education Mathematics Instruction | ||
| Behavior and Classroom Management | ||
SPED 431 | ||
| Introduction to Behavioral Disorders | ||
| Early Literacy for Diverse Learners | ||
| Intermediate Literacy for Diverse Learners | ||
| Adolescent Literacy for Diverse Learners | ||
| Human Growth and Development | ||
| Human Context of Design | ||
| First-Year American Sign Language | ||
| American Deaf Culture | ||
| Communication Disorders in Society and Media | ||
| Introduction to Language Development | ||
| Child and Adolescent Development | ||
or PSY 308 | Developmental Psychology | |
| Developmental Disorders in Communication | ||
| Childhood Studies | ||
| Physical Education for Diverse Learners | ||
| Introduction to Disability Studies | ||
| Issues for Children and Families | ||
| Human Development in the Family Context | ||
| Youth Psychopathology in Context | ||
| Research in Human Services | ||
or PSY 303 | Research Methods in Psychology | |
or SOC 311 | Research Methods | |
| Global Perspectives on Disability | ||
| Movement Disorders | ||
| Understanding Contemporary Interiors | ||
| Cognitive Development | ||
| Social Development | ||
| Total Credits | 24 | |
- 1
A minimum grade of B- must be earned.
- 2
Any SPED course that does not fulfill other SPED requirements may count toward the Electives.
Additional Requirements
- 18 credits must be completed in residence at the University of Oregon.
- 13 credits must be SPED prefix courses.
- At least 12 credits must be taken on a graded basis.
- No more than 6 applied experience/field study credits (e.g., 406) can be counted toward the minor requirements.
- No more than 2 courses form the same subject code, excluding SPED, can be counted toward the minor.
Application and Admission
Complete SPED 411 with a minimum grade of “B-”.
Schedule a meeting with a COE advisor to review requirements and declare the minor.